Aerial refueling via the probe and drogue method is known. In an exemplary refueling scenario, a refueling drogue connected to a refueling hose is unreeled from a refueling aircraft (e.g., tanker aircraft) towards a receiver aircraft (an aircraft to be refueled), such as a fighter plane, a helicopter, etc. The receiver aircraft has a refueling probe extending from the aircraft. The receiver aircraft maneuvers to the refueling drogue and inserts its refueling probe into the refueling drogue, at which point the refueling drogue “locks” onto the refueling probe, and a transfer of fuel from the refueling aircraft to the receiver aircraft is conducted.
It is desirable that the drogue and the portion of the hose adjacent to the drogue remain as stationary as possible, at least relative to the refueling aircraft, when extended from the refueling aircraft, at least before contact between the drogue and the probe. Unfortunately, the hose-drogue combination has a relatively large dynamic response to disturbances, so when the drogue is subjected to wind gusts and/or turbulence, the hose-drogue combination moves relative to the refueling aircraft, as forces imparted onto the drogue by the air cause the drogue to move. Moreover, the aircraft to be refueled also creates what is called a bow wave in-front of the aircraft to be refueled, which imparts forces onto the drogue, causing the drogue to move. These phenomenon make it difficult to position the refueling probe of the aircraft to be refueled in the refueling drogue.
Thus, there is a need for a system that will substantially maintain the position of a drogue, relative to a refueling aircraft, that has been extended on a refueling hose so that the movement of the drogue resulting from wind/turbulence/bow wave, etc., is substantially reduced to improve the ease by which the refueling probe may be inserted in the refueling drogue.